Spotify Ethics Guide

Megan Duncan
3 min readApr 18, 2021

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Since 2006, Spotify has become one of the most popular ways to listen to music online. Our goal is to be the place to find the perfect music or podcast for whatever you are feeling, wherever you are.

General Ethical Expectations
1. Compliance with Laws, Rule and Regulations. We respect and obey the laws of the cities, states and countries where we operate.

2. Full, Fair and Accurate Disclosure. All public communications must be full, fair and accurate. You must not knowingly misrepresent or omit facts about Spotify to others.

3. Conflict of Interest. We expect you to do what’s best for Spotify, our users and artists. Any issues of conflicting interests must be disclosed promptly to Spotify.

4. Discrimination and Harassment. Treat people with dignity and respect, regardless of who they are and where they came from. We strive to create an inclusive work environment where everyone is treated equally and respectfully. We do not accept any sort of harassment, intimidation or rudeness.

5. Non-Retaliation. We strive for everyone to feel safe and be able to speak up about misconduct without the worry of retaliation.

6. Everyone is Key. It is important that we hold the interests of stakeholders, artists, users and the general public to the same level of importance.

Social Ethical Expectations

1. Transparency. Be mindful when posting online to disclose advertisements on social media in accordance with FTC guidelines.

2. User Privacy. User information is private, and we must do everything to keep their information private and secure. Confidential and private information shall be upheld according to our Privacy Policy.

3. Copyright and Permissions. Spotify works with numerous of artists to share their music and podcasts online. It is necessary to acquire all copyrights needed before posting content to social media.

4. Be Mindful of What You Post. Social media is an important platform to communicate with our users and the general public. It is important to use respect and professionalism when responding to users online.

Responding to a Social Media Crisis

1. Utilize Social Listening. It is important to know all relevant information relating to the social media crisis. Knowing what caused the crisis kick-starts the solution process.

2. Place a Pause of Social. Pause any scheduled social media posts until the crisis is resolved.

3. Form a Plan. Make sure everyone involved with creating a solution knows where to start and keep everyone updated on any changes to the solution. Create templates for responses.

4. Address the Crisis. Acknowledge the issue and disclose any appropriate information. Be sure to take any big issues off social platforms and communicate through emails or direct messages.

Sources:

https://s22.q4cdn.com/540910603/files/doc_downloads/govDocs/Code-of-Conduct-FINAL-(2018)-GABS.pdf

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